Telephone-exchange system and apparatus



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F. SHAW 8: W. A. G'HILDS.

TELEPHONE EXCHANGE SYSTEM AND APPARATUS. No. 319,856. Patented June 9, 1885.

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TELEPHONE EXCHANGE SYSTEM AND APPARATUS No. 319,856. Patented June 9, 1885.

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TATES 'ATn v r rrron FRANK SHAW, on NEW YORK, 1v. it, AND WILLIAM A. OHILDS, or ENGLE- WOOD, NEW JERSEY.

TELEPHONE-EXCHANGE SYSTEM AND APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION" forming part of Letters Patent No. 319,856, dated June 9, 1885.

Application filed June 9, 1884. (No model) To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, FRANK SHAW and VVILLIAM A. OHILDs, citizens of the United States, and residents, respectively, of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, and Englewood, county of Bergen, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Telephone,

some portion of the central office with some other subscriber.

()ur invention consists, first, in giving to subscribers lines that are represented upon a switch-board or section of board two switchterminals, one of said terminals being readily movable, while the other is preferably fixed, and is adapted for connection with the first, thereby permitting one subscribers line to be connected with another by simply bringing the movable terminal of the subscriber calling into connection with the'fixed terminal of the 3 5 subscriber called for.

Our invention consists, secondly, in a telephone central-office switch-board having the line-terminals arranged in a horizontal plane upon a table, around which any desired numher of operators may group themselves, each of the lines terminating in said board having a movable or extensible switch-terminal, and a complementary. switch terminal, (one or. more,) preferably fixed, said terminals being 5 adapted for connection with one another, so that any line may be connected with any other by simply bringing the movable terminal to the fixed terminal, and so that, further, such operation may be performed by any one of the operators arranged about the table.

Our invention consists, further, in a centraloffice switch-board having for the subscribers lines grouped thereupon two switch-terminals, one of which consists of a plug-socket, while the other consists of an extensible flexible con- 5 necting-cord provided with a plug adapted for insertion in a socket, and also with means whereby it may be automatically retracted below the surface of the table when disconnection is made.

Our invention consists, further, in the novel arrangement for testing hereinafter described, and consisting, essentially, of an automatic vibrator at each subscribers station, adapted to automatically make and break the subscribers 6 5 line when a battery is upon the line, and at v the central office a signal electro-magnet and a battery in a normally-open ground, com-- bined with means whereby said battery and magnet may be connected to any line or lines.

In carrying out this portion of our invention, we provide at the subscribers station a switch, preferably automatic, that switches out the contacts of the vibrator when the telephone at the subscribers station is switched into circuit, the arrangement being preferably such, however, that the magnet of the vibrator shall be retained in circuit, in order to permit a signal to be given to the subscriber to indicate that the connection desired has been made at the central office, or for any other purpose. By this arrangement the centraloffi'ce operator may ascertain whether a line is in use by a subscriber, or whether it is in connection with some other line, by simply connecting the test-battery and magnet to said line, or to any one or portion of one of the switch-terminals for said line. If the tele phone be not in use, the automatic vibrator at the subscribers station will make and break the line-circuit, thus causing the armature of the test-magnet to vibrate; but if the subscribers line be connected at the central office to another line and the telephone of the subscribers station be in use, and the vibra- 5 tor-contacts therefore cut out, the test-magnets armature will give a single tap upon its bell.

Our invention consists, further, in a central-ofiice switch-board having for each subscribers line one or more movable switchterminals for each line and a series of fixed proper relation to the In carrying out our invention we prefer to assign a certain number of subscribers lines and the movable terminals for said linesto each operator, and give to said operator the business of answering calls from any one of the li nes connected to said movable terminals. We also, by preference, group in proximity to said operators fixed movable line-terminals fixed terminals for all the other subscribers lines assigned to other operators on the board, thus permitting the operator to connect anyone of the lines assigned to him to any other of said lines or to any other of the lines assigned to other operators, leaving, however, the duty of making similar connections for other lines of the board to those operators to whom the care of the movable line-terminals of said lines may be assigned.

In illustrating the principles of our invention we have shown it as carried out in connection with the system of Patent N 0. 220,874, -in which separate call or signal and private wires are used for the various subscribers stations, the business of calling and communicating with the central-ofiice operator being done over the signal-wire, and the conversation between subscribers taking place over the private wire. We do not, however, wish to be understood as limiting ourselves to this system, but may apply our invention to any form of telephone-exchange apparatus.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a diagram of circuits and apparatus illustrating one manner of carrying out our invention. Fig. 2 is a detail diagram illlustrating the nature of the circuits and apparatus at a subscribers station. Fig. 3 illustrates a detail of construction.

Referring to Fig. 1, A indicates a switchboard or section of switch-board at a central station of a telephoneexchange system, which board is arranged in a horizontal plane, and has the switching appliances located upon its top and accessible to two or more operators placed at the sides of the board. Four lines only of a system are shown in the drawings, those being amply snflicient to illustrate the principleof theinvention. Thelinesarenumbered,.respectively, 1 2 3 4, and each is supposed to be the wire or conductor leadingfrom a subscriber s station over which conversation is held between one subscriber and another of connected to the other line.

the system. In the present case each wire constitutes the private wire of the system de' scribed in Patent No. 220,874, and is therefore supposed to be employed in combination with a call or signal wire, two of which, W W, are herein shown. Each subscribers wire, 1 2 3 4, terminates on the switchboard in an extensible and automatically-retracted connecting devicesuch, for instance, as that described in our Patent No.278,6l3-and also in a second or complementary switch device or terminal preferably fixed and adapted for connection with the extensible terminal. The fixed terminals are here shown as metallic strips or. plates, a a a a, mounted in any suitable manner upon the board,and provided with one or more sockets adapted to receive the plugs uponthe ends of the extensible terminals. Two such sockets are shown in each strip, because in this instance the system hereinbefore mentioned is supposed to be employedviz., one in which certain lines and movable terminals therefor are assigned to an operator whose duty is to manipulate solely s'uch movable terminals. As indicated, two such sets of terminals and operators therefor are supposed to be employed, lines 1 and 2 being assigned to one operator, and lines 3 4 to another. Lines 1 and 2 are therefore represented in the fixed terminals at two socketholes in their respective plates a a", one such socket being in proximity to each operator. Lines 3 4 are similarly represented. In practice it will of course be understood that continuous plates connecting the sockets would not be used, but that, for the sakeof economy in room, each socket would be formed in a small block or plate, and the blocks corresponding to a line properly connected by a conducting-wire carried beneath the board. The connection from any line-wire to its fixed socket or sockets may be made by wires carried up through boxes constructed and arranged in casings or boxes like those shown in our Patent N 0. 278,613.

The extensible terminals are made, as indicated in Fig. 3, each ofa flexible conductingcord provided with a plug at one end and attached at its other to a weight, W sliding in a tube beneath the surface of the board, and provided with a spring, W that will slide in contact with the tube, and thus make con nection therewith, said tube being i tself connected with a subscribers line. 7

To make connection between any two lines of the board, it is simply necessary to take the extensible line-terminal for one line and insert its plug into a complementary or fixed socket In any ordinary exchange of, say, five hundred subscribers, this may be done by any operator beside the board, it being preferable in exchanges of this size to provide but one fixed socket or switchterminal for each line, and to mass the flexible or extensible terminals, so as to be accessible to any operator, and so that any extensible IIO switch line-terminal may bebrought into connection with any fixed line-terminal. With larger exchanges it may be desirable to multiply the number of fixed sockets for each line, and to follow strictly the plan of assigninga certain set of extensible terminals to each op erator, fixed terminals for all other lines being placed within his reach. In the presentinstance it is supposed that thesockets at theleft of the board are arranged with special reference to extensible line-terminals 1 and 2, although it is obvious that if the flexible cords were made of sufficient length the lines might be connected by placing an extensible terminal into connection with a fixed terminal at a greater distance therefrom.

\rVe do notlimit ourselves as to the form of the devices whereby actual connection is made between an extensible line-terminal and a fixed line-terminal, and it is obvious we might use other devices instead of a plug and socket, or might transpose the plug and socket, so that the socket should be upon the extensible and the plug upon the fixed terminal. Nor do we desire to be understood as limiting ourselves to the manner of constructing the automatically-retracted terminal, other arrangements besides that shown being obviously adapted to the purposes of our invention.

Although we have spoken of the plates a a a a as the fixed terminals, it is to be understood that the portion of said plate that contains the socket for the plug in the end of the flexible cord constitutes, in fact, the fixed terminal of a line, and that, in fact, there are in each plate shown two fixed line-terminals for each subscribers line.

The several subscribers stations of the system herein illustrated are indicated at A B O D. Stations A and 1-3 are upon call or signal wire W, and stations 0 D upon call or signal wire V At the central office each callvwire passes through the receiving-telephone of an operator who has the telephone constantly at his ear, and also includes the usual transmitting-telephone for use by said operator in communicating over the call-wire with a sub scriber. The latter telephone and its connections are omitted for the sake of simplicity. It may be mounted and arranged as shown in Patent No. 278,613, or in any other desired manner.

T T, &c., indicate the telephones at subscrib-a and the pivot of a gravity-switch, M, while the latter pair is connected to the telephone and contact-stops of the switch, and also to a vibrator, N, and switch controlling the circuits of the same. The switches are held in the position shown by suitable springs, so that the circuit for the call-wireis complete through each station, while thetelephonc is cut out of the circuit for the private wire by means of the switch M. The automatic vibrator consists of an electro magnet and automaticallyvibrated armature therefor, which, so long as current is supplied to the magnet, is kept in vibration by automatically breaking and making the circuit,after the manner of an electromagnetic alarm, through the means of contacts Q, which are together when the armature is retracted by its spring, but are separated when the armature is drawn up by the magnet. The circuit for the magnet is normally through said contacts, and is apart of the private-wire circuit to earth, as indicated, the path being through springsgg and plate d to switch-lever M, lower contact for the latter when the telephone T is hung up, springs h h, plate 6, contacts Q, armature-lever mag- 10o net of vibrator, and to earth.

In addition to the switches and circuits so far described, we provide suitable means whereby the contacts Q of the vibrator shall be cut out or shunted, either automatically or by hand, when the telephone is in use at a subscribers station, leaving, however, the circuit through the magnet of the vibrator intact, so that a single tap or signal may be given on the bell of the vibrator by the cen- 11o tral-office operator to indicate that the desired connections have been made on the switchboard. The shunting device here shown consists of contacts Q,one insulated from but carried by the switch-lever M, and located so as n 5 to be out of contact with the other when the telephone is out of use-that is, resting upon the switch-lever. When the telephoneis, however,.removed from its hook, the contacts Q come together, and, as they are connected, ro- I20 spectively, to the armaturelever of the vibrator and the back contact therefor, complete a circuit around the vibrator-contacts, thus rendering the vibrator incapable of making and breaking the circuit of the private wire. The

circuit through the telephone '1 is completed when the telephone is removed from the support in the obvious and well-known manner.

By the above arrangement of the vibrator it may act either to make and break the prir 0 vate-wire circuit rapidly to give an alarm, or may serve as the tap or alarm bell after the Upon plate 0 rest normally a pair of 70 tery has one pole connected to ground and the other to the cord and-tip, so that by simply touching the tipto anyline-terminal, preferably one of the fixed terminals, the battery and bell will be included in a circuit formed of the private wire, the vibrator-magnet at the subscribers station, and the earth. If the telephone at the subscribers station be out of use and upon its support and the contacts Q open, the circuit will include the vibrator-contacts? and a rapid make and break of circuit will be produced,which will cause a vibrating signal in the bell-magnet P at the central office, indicating the existence of the conditions stated at the subscribers station. If, however, the telephone be in use, the vibrator-contacts will be shunted and a single stroke only will be given on the bell at the central ofiice.

The general operation would be as follows: The subscriber communicates with the central office in the usual. way over the signal-wire running to his station, after having pushed in the switch S against the spring, so as to throw the telephone into the signal-wire circuit, and the central-ofifice operator, after having called the subscriber asked for, by touching the tip R upon a fixed line-terminal block of that subscribers line, so as to cause the vibrator-bell at that subscribers station to ring,

proceeds to connect the lines by placing the cause the bells at both subscribers stations to ring, in order to indicate that the eonnection has been made upon the board.) The subscribers having taken up their telephones, the latter signal will be given by a single tap upon the bell at the stations, because the cont acts of the vibrators will have been shunted by the removal of the telephones from their supports. The signal that disconnection has been made at the central oifice may be given in the same way.

The above would be the general operation irrespective of the action which would take place by reason of the provisions for testing employed. It is of course important to the operator to know whether a line called for is already in connection with some other line, and this information is given by the character of the signal given in his test-bell on placing the plug R upon the fixed terminal of the subthe circuit so long as the battery M B is applied. If, however, a subscribers line be connected to some other on the board and the telephones at either or both of their stations be in use, the battery-current from M B will find a continuous circuit to earth through the apparatus at one or the other or both of the stations, and a single tap will be given on the bell. The same means enable the operator to ascertain whether two connected lines are still in use, since if both telephones be hung up the only circuit for the main battery will be through a'vibrator, and the bell of the operator will ring intermittently. No such signal will, however, be had so long as one of the subscribers telephones is in use, since a continuous circuit Will then be furnished through the contacts Q at the station with said telephone.

WVe are aware that it is not new to use an automatic vibrator at a subscribers office for the purpose of vibrating an indicator at the central oflice; but in such case the test-bell and battery were in constant circuit between the connected lines, and did not furnish to the central-office operator a means of testing to ascertain whether a line wanted was already in connection with some other upon the board. Moreover, no provision was made for cutting out or shunting the contacts of the electromagnetic vibrator at the subscribers station, while at the same time leaving the circuit through the vibrator-magnet or bell-magnet complete. I

We do not limit ourselves to the use of a bell and magnet in connection with the testbattery at the central station for giving an indication to the operator, but may use in connection with said battery any indicating or signaling device that will give to the eye or car of the operator notice that the line of the subscriber wanted is already connected upon the central-office switch with some other subscribers line; nor do we limit ourselves to the particular means shown whereby the test apparatus at the central oflice may be connected or disconnected with any line, the essence of our invention consisting in providing suitable switch appliances, whereby the test-battery and devices may be appliedor withdrawn at pleasure at any time and under any condition of the lines.

WVhat we claim as our invention is 1. In a telephone central-officeswitch-board, the combination of movable line-terminals, consisting offlexible and extensible automatically-withdrawn switch-cords, and fixed lineterminals arranged in proximity thereto, and consisting of complementary switch devices adapted for connection with the cord ends, said fixedterminalsincluding thelines connected to the movableline-terminals, and also including other lines of the system with which it may be desired to connect the movable line-terminals.

2. The combination, in a telephone centraloffice system, of subscribers lines, each terminating at the central office in a normallyconnected movable or extensible terminal, and in one or more fixed terminals properly constructed for forming connection with the tips of the extensible terminals when the latter are moved to them. i

3. A telephone central-office switch-board having its switching devices arranged in a horizontal plane upon a table, so as to be accessible from two or more sides, each of the lines which terminate in said board in a movable or extensible terminal being provided with a complementary switch-terminal, preferably fixed, said terminals being adapted for connection with one another, as and for the purpose described.

4. In a telephone central-office switch-board, the combination, upon a horizontal switchtable accessible on two or more sides, of extensible line-terminals and fixed line-terminals, as and for the purpose described.

5. In a telephone central-office switch-board, the combination, upon a horizontal table having its switching appliances accessible upon two or more sides, of a series of subscribers lines and switch-terminals for subscribers lines adapted for connection with one another, whereby two of the lines upon said horizontal table may be electrically united by simply placing the line-terminal of one line into union with a complementary line-terminal of the other line.

6. In a telephone central-office switch-board, the combination of extensible line-terminals, furnished with connecting plugs, and line blocks or plates, also connected with saidlines, and adapted to receive the plugs or similar connecting devices on the extensible terminals.

7. A telephone-exchange central office having for each line two line-terminalsone an extensible or movable line-terminal, and the other a complementary terminal adapted for union with the extensible or movable terminal of one or more other lines.

8. A telephone-exchange central oflice having for the several individual lines two lineterminals-one an extensible or movable terminal, and the other a fixed terminal adapted to receive the tip of the movable terminals of other lines.

9. In a telephone central-office switch, the combination of movable or extensible line-terminals, consisting of sliding weights and connectors, and flexible cords and tips, and fixed or stationary line terminals, consisting of socketed plates or blocks adapted to receive said tips,whereby lines may be connected by simply placing a cord-tip in a fixed block.

10. A telephone central office having for each subscribers line a movable or extensible terminal, consisting of a flexible conductor having an automatic retractor, and one. or more complementary.line-terminals, preferably, though not necessarily, fixed, but adapted for union with the first said terminals.

11. The combination, in a central office telephoneexchange system, of automatic vibrators at subscribers stations, a bell and bat tery'at the central station, and suitable conneoting devices for connecting and disconnecting said bell and battery from any line of the exchange without disturbing the connection between the lines, it said line be connected to any other at the time the test is made.

12. The combination, in a central office telephone-exchange system, of automatic vibrators at subscribers stations, and a bell and battery at the central station in a wire normally independent of the connecting devices for connecting two lines together, said bell and battery being combined with switching apparatus, whereby it may be introduced into and taken out of circuit with a line, whether such line be connected with any otheriline or not, so as to permit a test of the line s condition to be had at pleasure.

13. The combination, with a series of subscribers lines centering at acommon switchboard, of automatic vibrators controlled by switches at the subscribers stations which cut out the contacts for said vibrators when the telephone apparatus is in use, a bell and battery at the central station, and switch devices for placing said bell and battery into a groundcircuit from a line at the central oflice.

14. The combination, with automatic vibrators at subscribers stations, of switches for cutting out the contacts of said vibrators when the telephones are in use, and at the central office a test-bell and battery independent of the connecting-circuit between two connected lines, as and for the purpose described.

15. The combination, in a telephone-ex change, of automatic vibrators at subscribers stations, and at the central office a test-battery and indicator having a movable switch-terminal, adapting them for connection to any line of the exchange, as and for the purpose described.

16. The combination, substantially as described, of automatic vibrators at subscribers stations and atcst-battery and indicator independent of the line-connecting wires or strips at the central station, andhaving means whereby said battery and indicator may at the central office be connected into a circuit that shall be formed through the subscribers station apparatus.

17. The combination, with a central office of a telephone-exchange having automatic vibrators at subscribers stations, of a test-battery and indicator and switch apparatus for including the battery and indicator in a circuit formed through a subscribers station and the central office.

18. The combination, with subscribers stai 1 i l Signed at New York, in the county of New [0 York and State of New York, this 19th day of May, A. D. 1884.

FRANK SHAW. WM. A. GHILDS.

Witnesses:

THOS. TooMEY, GEO. O. OoFFIN. 

